Cons

Long, bumpy, hour-long taxi rides to some resorts; driving along the winding, narrow, poorly maintained roadways can be nerve-wracking

Virtually no public transportation (mostly unmetered taxis available)

Hurricane season June through November

What It's Like

Unlike more developed Caribbean islands, such as Aruba and the Bahamas, the sparsely populated island-nation of Saint Lucia still maintains a sense of unspoiled, exotic beauty. Its landscapes of pristine beaches and mountainous terrain are among the most stunning you'll find anywhere in the Caribbean (and that's especially true at Jade Mountain). But it doesn't offer much in the way of dining, shopping, or nightlife for its tourists, apart from the few jazzy rum punch joints hugging its cruise ship ports. Once you're at a resort, you're pretty much going to stay there unless you opt for a guided tour of some kind. Though crime is minimal, poverty is apparent; many fishing villages are largely made up of haphazard shacks, and panhandling is common. In some areas, the juxtaposition of the haves (yachtsmen) and have-nots (locals) can be striking. But the island is relatively safe and the population is largely friendly and accommodating to travelers.